


The Sculptor

by qomachin



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Mystery, Original Character(s), Psychopathology & Sociopathy, Sculpture, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-14 01:37:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17499155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qomachin/pseuds/qomachin
Summary: "If I can't have you, I'll just create another you."Renjun was recruited to be a sculptor by his sister. Who knows he actually enjoyed it?Until he met Lee Jeno, who was so unreachable, but Renjun found a way... that was twisted.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's my first fic here.  
> Inspired by my own hobby in drawing NCT and Renjun's art skill, I decided to 'open' a gallery with Renjun.  
> I may include all members of NCT as commissioners in our gallery, but this story focuses on Renjun, Jeno, Yuta, Chenle, Jisung (there'll be a spinoff of Chenle and Jisung).
> 
> It may seem a bit twisted... but enjoy! ❤

"What, Nuna? You want me to work at your gallery?"

Renjun looked at his older sister in awe. They were in a cafe, drawing together--an activity they would do at least once a month. His sister was a famous sculptor who owned a gallery named Angelo gallery.

"Yes. Did you not hear me?" His sister huffed.

"I mean, I heard you. But... are you sure? I can't do anything... My art skill is far below yours."

"That's nonsense!" said his sister, sipping her green tea latte. She then pointed at the paper in front of Renjun. "You can draw. Well, do you think my gallery only displays sculptures? Hell no. I also put my drawings."

Renjun gulped. His sister was rather stubborn.

"Come on, Injun. You had graduated from college and you still got no job, right? I mean, other than those rare commissions."

That hurt. Renjun smiled bitterly. "Guess I'll give it a try..."

"Nice!" His sister clapped. "You have nothing to do right now, do you? Then, you can come now!"

Renjun immediately regretted his decision.

■

The Angelo gallery was famous. It was almost like Madame Tussaud's, but his sister's works were stone and clay sculptures. Renjun knew that his sister spent so much time learning art since she was a child, despite having no support from their parents. She left China to go to an art college in Korea. Ever since she was in college, she had made sculptures for commissions, until she had enough money to open her own gallery. When Renjun followed her path in entering college in Korea, their parents trusted her in taking care of Renjun, and she did (even though they lived separatedly).

It wasn't the first time Renjun came to the gallery, yet he was still amazed by how his sister decorated the place. The gallery was divided into two parts: the display where people could come and see his sister's works and the workplace where his sister spent most of her time. In the workplace, his sister had put a bed, a cupboard, lots of canvases, art supplies, and mostly clay. There was also a small bathroom. Sometimes, Renjun would stay some nights with his sister when he felt like it. And sometimes also, his sister would come to his place when she decided to take a break from her activities.

"I know you're familiar with this place, but please be more comfortable!" Her sister said excitedly.

Renjun sighed. He took a look at some sculptures. He knew some: the model Lucas and the singer Kun. He turned his head to his sister.

"You really got commissions from THE Lucas and Kun?"

His sister laughed. "You don't believe it? I couldn't, either!"

 _She is really a whole another level_ , he thought.

"When you start working here, I'm sure you'll get bigger commissions that I'll ever get. Imagine getting a commission from Nakamoto Yuta!"

"Nuna, if I ever get a commission from him, I'd immediately send him to you." Yes. His sister was smitten over Nakamoto Yuta, a Japanese soccer player who was currently living in South Korea. He didn't know how she knew that guy, but it was not Renjun's place to tell his sister what to do. It wasn't like Yuta was going to hurt her, anyway.

"That's very nice of you!" His sister chuckled. "Wanna try using clay?"

Renjun had visited his sister when she was sculpting. In his opinion, sculptures from clay was easier to make than the ones from stone. Well, he wasn't so sure, but seeing how bright her sister looked, he decided to nod and followed her to the workplace.

The workplace had never been tidy. It was a mess. But Renjun liked the mess; it showed the creativity inside his sister's head. And somehow, Renjun believed he also had the creativity.

Her sister happily took a bucket of clay. She put it on a table, and gestured Renjun to sit on the chair.

"This is not your first try, Injun. Remember when you made that sculpture of Dad? I still keep it."

"Nuna! That's embarrassing!"

Renjun made a sculpture of their dad for his birthday when he was fifteen. His sister was seventeen, a freshman in the sculpture major. As a result, his sculpture wasn't nearly as good as his sister's, even though their dad was so happy with that.

His sister giggled. She sure loved teasing her little brother... and Renjun was actually fine with it. Being with his sister was fun. Everytime they met up, she would treat him to something nice. Well, his sister sure understood his situation as an unemployed graduate.

"Who are you going to make?"

Renjun looked at the clay in front of him. Who? He could simply try to make his sister's... but that would be embarrassing. He looked around...

"I don't know, Nuna. Can I copy one of your sculpture? I mean, it's just for practice," he asked.

"Sure, sure! No need to be so formal with your sister, Injun!" His sister waved her hand, and he got up from his chair. Even in the workplace, his sister put some sculptures: the ones she won't put in display.

He kneeled down in front of one sculpture of Yuta (his sister made MANY) and tilted his head. He could feel his sister's gaze on his back.

"You want to make my future husband's sculpture?" His sister asked jokingly.

"Stop being delusional, Nuna," Renjun laughed. He moved to look at another sculpture. "Hey, Nuna, isn't this my friend Na Jaemin?"

"Yeah. Nothing special, though. I just want to make his."

His sister wasn't hiding anything. She was simply just like that. If she decided to make someone's sculpture, she did it. Renjun was still staring at Jaemin's sculpture when his sister said,

"Injun, you still don't want me to make your sculpture?"

Renjun turned. "Never in a million years."

His sister sighed and Renjun continued his journey in his sister's workplace.

■

"You don't need to finish it today. Take as much time as you need. I won't rush you." His sister had said when Renjun finally decided whose sculpture he was going to make.

Renjun came to his sister's gallery everyday without absent. His parents gave him permission to do so and somehow he was so into the sculpture making. It was fun. When he was doing his piece, his sister would either guide people who come to her gallery or simply sat beside him to make her own sculptures. Of course, she would make another sculpture of Nakamoto Yuta when she was not doing commissions ("Believe it or not, she has made FOURTEEN sculptures of Nakamoto Yuta since three years ago!" Renjun claimed.).

However, Renjun couldn't guess why his sister asked him to work at her gallery. She could manage the place on her own. Did she really pity his unemployed self? Did she see some potential in Renjun? In this case, Renjun couldn't understand his sister.

When they were sculpting together, his sister sometimes would tell her stories when she was in college. And Renjun enjoyed her story-telling sessions. It made him feel closer to his sister; his mysterious sister who would seem like a stalker to people who didn't know her.

"You wanna know how I get to know Yuta, right? It was so simple. I met him when I was sketching at a park. He was playing soccer. It was love at first sight. Haha, call me cheesy! It was four years ago. Yes, before I officially opened this gallery, so I still had free times outside. He was at the park everyday. And of course I came everyday to sketch him. That's why I could make his sculpture without even measuring his actual head," His sister finished her love story with a chuckle.

"You made fourteen sculptures of him and he still doesn't know even your name? That's sad..." Renjun shook his head.

His sister kicked his shin bone. Renjun shrieked. "Shut up, you brat. As long as he is still here in Korea, he would eventually come here! And before he even commissioned me, I would show up with all my sculptures of him!"

Renjun looked at his sister in disbelief. "That would be creepy, Nuna..."

"Hmmm, you're right," his sister agreed. "All my past loves humiliated me by calling me stalker because I always drew people I loved. I was so traumatic to even draw a boy before I met Yuta. Hey, Injun, do you think it's so wrong?"

His sister rarely got concerned over trivial things. But, Renjun could clearly see how his sister's face turned gloomy. He wanted to pat his sister's back but his hands were covered in clay. So, he sighed before answered, "There's nothing wrong with expressing your love through drawing, Nuna. Other people make songs or take photos or buy chocolates for people they love. Your way is by drawing or making sculpture. Those jerks you loved back then were assholes. I mean, you can do the same with Yuta, but I think you need to know him first before deciding whether he would like to accept your hobby or not. But, if he truly loves you, someday, I'm sure he would accept you no matter how freak you are."

"I was tearing up until I hear that last sentence!" His sister shouted, and Renjun laughed. He continued to pay attention to his own sculpture. His sister was still sulking, and Renjun found it funny.

"But I truly meant everything I said, Nuna," he said calmly. "Don't worry. You are very talented and I love you the way you are."

His sister was literally tearing up. "Injunnie!! I've never ever heard you say you love me! Let me hug you!"

"No! You're dirty! Nuna! Stop!!!!"

■

It took Renjun almost two weeks to finish his first sculpture. Wanna know whose sculpture he was making? Ah, it was just a copy of a sculpture of Nakamoto Yuta.

"Injun! This is amazing!" His sister clapped her hands.

"This? For your first try? If I can't marry Yuta, I'll just marry the sculpture you made!"

Renjun sighed. "Don't be ridiculous, Nuna. This is just a copy of your sculpture. I think I need more research to do my own sculpture..."

"You're right. But don't be discouraged, yeah, Injun? This is very good for your start. You know, you can always spend times outside... bring your sketchbook. Who knows you'll find someone just like how I find Yuta, my forever muse."

Renjun wanted to say 'Yeah, yeah, whatever,' but he kept silent. Instead, he nodded. He put his sketch book, pencil, eraser, and phone inside his bag.

"Since you are the one who suggested it, I'm leaving now. Just call or message me if you need anything," he said, and his sister nodded.

Renjun left the gallery through the back door, since the gallery was open for business since two hours ago. He was the one who called his sister to show her his first finished sculpture, and his sister was kind enough to put some customers on hold for him. Renjun chuckled. He never knew that working together with his sister would be so much fun.

He stopped by a cafe. Today was too hot to stay at park, and he was kinda thirsty. He got some money from his sister (now he thought she was either spoiling or bribing him) earlier and it was more than enough for a cup of tea in large size.

He got his tea and immediately settled down on a chair near the window. Both Renjun and his sister loved to sit next to a window. "To find inspiration easily," his sister always said. And Renjun agreed. He took his sketch book, pencil, and eraser from his bag.

"Now, what should I draw..."

He looked around him. There were not many people in the cafe. He scanned the people one by one until his gaze stumbled upon a handsome guy two tables from him.

That guy had stern face. He was busy with his phone and sometimes sipping his cup of drink. Renjun wasn't sure for a second until suddenly the guy smiled.

That was it. The smile.

Renjun had never seen a smile like that. When the guy smiled, his eyes turned into crescent moon shape, and he looked so cute. Renjun could feel his cheeks burning.  
_Is this how my sister felt when she first saw Yuta?_

Quickly, Renjun took his pencil and started sketching the guy's features. He quickly filled three pages of his sketch book with the guy's different pose and facial expression. He let out a little chuckle, feeling a bit guilty after teasing his sister about her admiration for Yuta. He clearly got his karma right now.

He was so into his sketching until he heard someone's screeching, "Wow! Your drawing is so good!"

Renjun was surprised. Beside him, a young man around his age stood, staring intensely at his drawing. He smiled when he realized Renjun was looking at him.

"Hello! Did I surprise you? Sorry! My name is Chenle. Zhong Chenle. I was just being here for a cup of coffee when I stumbled upon your drawing. Is that your job?" He finished his talking with a laugh that sounded like a dolphin. Really.

Renjun was stunned. "Umm... yeah. My name is... Renjun."

"Oh wow! Are you Chinese also?" Chenle asked again, and excused himself to sit across Renjun.

"Yes."

"Don't be so stoic. I'm not dangerous! Look. I'm so happy I found a Chinese friend! Hey, are you open for commission?" He asked. God, this Chenle guy really talked much. Renjun didn't answer for three whole seconds, so Chenle slumped his back onto his chair. "I was watching you sketching that guy over there. I know him. Want me to introduce you?"

"No, no!" Renjun refused immediately. "I was just looking for inspiration. And yes, I do commissions. I'll give you my contact."

Chenle took out his phone and gave it to Renjun. While Renjun was typing his number, Chenle whispered, "That guy's name is Lee Jeno."

Renjun felt lucky he wasn't drinking because he was sure he would burst. Well, it was exaggerating, but being exposed on the first time drawing was not a very pleasant event. Renjun saved his number in Chenle's phone and quickly gave it back, hoping Chenle would just leave.

"Oh, Huang?" Chenle read the name Renjun wrote in his contact. "You know the owner of Angelo gallery then?"

"Well, yes. She is my sister."

"That's so cool! Your sister had done some sculptures for my family. Her works are amazing. I guess talent really flows in your blood, huh."

Renjun smiled bitterly. "Well, she is the one with golden hands, though..."

"And so are you! But don't worry, I really give compliments when I feel like it, but I won't ask you to draw me. Artists really don't like when people request them to draw for free, right? I'll contact you later about the commission. But, do you also make sculptures like your sister?"

"No. I'm still an amateur in sculpture, so you can only ask me to draw. Be it in graphite or paint, you name it, I'll do it."

Chenle laughed. "That's cool! Anyway, I have to go. I was supposed to go but I was so attracted by your drawing I didn't realize I was fifteen minutes late. Thanks for the chitchat! Bye!"

Renjun waved his hand as Chenle quickly left the cafe. However, when he looked up to where Lee Jeno sat, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

His sister asked Renjun to do grocery shopping before going home, and he felt lucky he didn't spend all the money his sister gave him only on cups of tea. While taking all the stuff his sister had listed in the message, he thought about his sister's life. She was always so busy. How did she manage to be so healthy despite he rarely saw her eat? Renjun sighed. Probably all this time he had a non-human sister.

Renjun nearly choked when he came to the dairy aisle. It was Lee Jeno! Again! He lived in this area, and he never knew. Well, he had always gone to visit his sister's place only, and this is the first time he explored the area on his own.

Jeno was standing in front of a milk product Renjun's sister asked him to buy. Renjun stood still. _Is this a good moment to start a conversation? But how?_ He almost decided to turn around and wait for a while, but he after a second thought, Nuna has loved Yuta for three years and hasn't got any chance to talk to him. I won't be a coward.

"Umm, excuse me? I need that milk," Renjun said, standing not too close to this Jeno guy. He looked at Jeno hesitantly, slightly hoping he would smile just like earlier in the cafe.

But no. Instead, Jeno glared at him, then moved. He didn't even take any carton of milk. Renjun looked at his cart; there were only boxes of cereals and instant noodles. Renjun sighed before taking a carton of milk.

"Probably he's just not comfortable with strangers," he mumbled, walking towards the cashier. For the second time, he almost choked when he saw Nakamoto Yuta entering the store.

The Nakamoto Yuta! Renjun considered taking out his phone to take his picture, but that would be too weird. He didn't know Nakamoto Yuta lived around here too. Was that why his sister spent most of her free time at the park? So that meant the park around here...

"Sir?" The cashier asked, since Renjun was lost at thought. He immediately came back to his senses and paid. He looked around but he couldn't see Yuta anymore, so he went home.

■

"You won't believe who I met at grocery store," Renjun claimed as soon as he entered the workplace where her sister sat in front of a sculpture project she was working on. He put his stuff on the table, and his sister immediately approached the groceries. Renjun wasn't disappointed even a little bit, because he knew his sister would be listening despite all the business she was in.

"Yeah?" His sister replied as she put the groceries inside the refrigerator (Did Renjun forget to mention? His sister also had a small kitchen in his workplace). Renjun drank a glass of water before continuing his story.

"I met your Nakamoto Yuta," he stated triumphantly.

His sister let an orange fell from her hand. Her expression was aghast. "What?"

"You never told me he lives around here. Isn't that why you spent your time at the park?"

"I don't know where he lives," his sister laughed. She continued putting the rest of groceries inside the refrigerator. "How? Does he look handsome? Of course. He is awesome."

Renjun sighed. "Well, he looks almost exactly like your sculptures."

"I'm glad!" His sister clapped. "It would break my heart if my sculptures don't look like him. Or worse, look like someone else. You know that."

"Uhm." Renjun nodded. His sister had always been anxious about her works. Being a realist artist got her pretty burdened. There was one time she didn't want to draw or create anything for a whole week because someone said her work resembled another person she didn't intend to.

"Anyway!" His sister walked towards the stove, holding two eggs. "I hope you don't mind eating omelette rice tonight."

"For someone so rich, you sure are down to earth when it comes to food," Renjun commented, but he didn't object. His sister giggled and started cooking.

Renjun slumped down on a sofa. He already got his sketch book on his lap. Four pages of Lee Jeno were the last sketches he made, and he slightly smiled when he took a look inside his sketch book. Even though Lee Jeno was so cold at the grocery store, he remembered his genuine smile at the cafe. Well, the smile wasn't for Renjun, tho.

"Hmm? I guess you've found a muse, huh?" His sister teased as she served two plates of omelette rice on the dining table. Renjun got up from the sofa and sat across his sister, ignoring the question. "Hello? Earth to Injun? I'm sure you heard me. When you ignore me, everything is suspicious... Oh! Don't tell me Yuta is also your muse?"

"No, Nuna," Renjun objected briefly, tauting his eyebrows.

His sister sighed in relief, but continued staring at Renjun, "But there is one, right? Well, if you don't want to tell me, it's okay. Just be prepared that I'll measure your head when you sleep and start making a sculpture of you tomorrow."

Renjun glared at his sister. "Nuna! You know I really hate having a sculpture of myself. Well, yes, I found one. But he was rather cold..."

"So it's a he? Injun, I can't believe you try to take Yuta away from me when he is not even mine yet..."

"I told you it's not Yuta!" Renjun sighed. "You can take him all you want for all I care. It's another guy... his name is Lee Jeno..."

Now his sister choked. She was coughing so Renjun quickly got her a glass of water. She drank it before looking at Renjun in disbelief. "You already know him? My brother is one step ahead of me. I could only admire Yuta from afar for three years, but my brother already know his muse in his first meeting!"

"I knew his name from another person, Nuna. So while I was sketching him, a person caught me. His name is Chenle... Zhong Chenle? Something like that. He is also Chinese. He knows this Lee Jeno and offered to introduce me to him, but I refused," Renjun explained. "Guess I still have your cowardice."

"I'm not a coward!"

"Then try talking to Nakamoto Yuta."

His sister pouted. Renjun laughed, knowing he was right. Well, it wasn't her fault, though. Her traumatic past of loving men really put her guard on, so she tried to act as neutral as possible to any men. Well, except for her little brother, of course.

"But since I know he lives around here, I might have a chance to talk to him, someday," Renjun finished his story. His sister nodded.

"I hope he would know you and accept you before you make twenty sculptures of him."

Renjun shrieked. "That would be you and your Yuta obsession!"

"If it's art then it's not obsession!"

And they continued their childish war until both plates were empty.

■

Renjun's phone vibrated when he was laying on bed. It was unknown number. Renjun immediately recognized the message as Chenle's, because even in text messaging he was loud.

_Howdy, Huang Renjun! It's me, Chenle. Please save my contact name as President Chenle. Don't ask why, I just love when people call me that. But then it's up to you. Okay, as I said before, I wanted to ask you to draw for me. It isn't my face, but my mother's. I'll attach the image to you. Can you also add flowers or something? And I want it to be colored, you choose the media. About the payment, how about 500,000 won? Is that enough? Just tell me if you need more. Thanks!_

"Holy shit!" He shouted, immediately sat on the bed. His sister looked at him, but he quickly shook his head, so she went to continue her work. Renjun bit his lower lip. "500,000 won? Is he serious? It's just a drawing..."

He quickly replied Chenle's message.

_Hello, President Chenle. I will immediately work on that project. Please also tell me the deadline of the drawing. And also, that amount of money is too much for me. Thank you._

Chenle must be so rich if he offered that much amount of money just for a piece of drawing. Renjun didn't do as many commissions as his sister, but he did sometimes. He always considered his works are not as good as his sister's, and he even offered his customer to his sister when she refused.

"They request YOU. I'd gladly do it if they come directly to me, but they ask you. They don't even ask you to tell me, right? Just accept that you can draw, Injun," His sister had said.

Chenle's reply was fast.

_Can it be done in two weeks? We can meet at the cafe. And that amount of money suits your art skill. I know your sister has higher standards, so you also deserve high price, too! Don't discourage your own skill!_

"Someone commissioned me," Renjun said.

"Really? Who?" His sister looked up from her work, which now can be recognized as a person's head.

"Chenle. But the amount he is willing to pay..." Renjun hesitated. "500,000 won..."

"That's almost the price of my sculpture!" she claimed.

"I know. I tried to refuse but he insists..."

His sister smiled. "Injun. Never let something like this go. If you feel guilty, just make sure you do the commission with your whole heart. Make the best piece you've ever seen. Okay?"

Renjun nodded. "Yeah, okay."

■

Renjun spent two weeks later by doing Chenle's commission and finding muse just like how his sister always suggested him to. When it was too hot outside, he would chill inside the cafe, hoping that Jeno would spend his time there too. Or he walked to the park to sometimes see Nakamoto Yuta hanging out with some friends. He told his sister just to make her jealous, but she didn't even take a day off her gallery. It was either she decided to be dedicated to her work (because Renjun knew, commissions were piling up) or she was too shy to meet Yuta.

Well, Renjun met Jeno. Around five times in two weeks, at random places. One day it was in the cafe, another at the park, another at grocery store, another at book store, and once he simply passed by Renjun without even glance at him.

Renjun finally finished Chenle's commission. According to Chenle's message, he was supposed to come to the cafe at 11 AM and bring the framed drawing that had been wrapped up. At 10.45 AM, he sat on his favorite chair while sipping his iced lemon tea, slightly hoping Jeno would also come.

Jeno came! And also... he was with a friend. His friend looked around, and he stumbled upon Renjun.

"Renjun?"

Renjun knew that guy. He smiled brightly ever since their freshman year in college. That guy immediately approached Renjun's table, excited.

"Wow! What are you doing here? I thought you live around campus?" That guy, Na Jaemin, whose face had been duplicated by Renjun's sister in form of sculpture, started asking questions.

"I came to visit my sister," he replied. "What about you?"

"Oh, I came here with my friend. Hey, Jeno! This is Renjun, my college friend who is good at art. Renjun, it's Jeno. His job is pretty shady, I'm sure he's an assassin," Jaemin said jokingly. Jeno had stood beside him, looking annoyed.

"It's not shady," he claimed.

It was the first time Renjun heard Jeno's voice. He wanted to hear more, but it was Jaemin's voice who dominated the scene.

"Mind if we sit here? Oh, you're waiting for someone, right?"

Exactly after Jaemin asked, Chenle entered the cafe. "Renjun! I'm sorry for being late!" He rushed to Renjun's table. "Jeno hyung? You know Renjun?"

"He's a friend of Jaemin," Jeno said. "Come on Jaem, we can't disturb them."

Renjun was hoping Jeno would stay, but he also didn't know what to say if he indeed stayed. "Um, I'll just give this to Chenle, you can sit here after we're done."

"Are you busy, Renjun? Oh, because you work at... ouch!" Chenle shrieked at Renjun's kicking on his shin bone. He nodded when Renjun gestured him to stay quiet about his job.

"Yes, I'm busy. Okay, I'll just give it to you, Chenle. See you, Jaemin, I hope we can hang out sometimes," He waved his hand at confused Jaemin.

Jaemin waved back. "Sure... be careful!"

Renjun went out. He didn't know why he was panicking... it wasn't so like him. And he even left his half-empty lemon tea... what a shame.

"I should blame Nuna for giving me her cowardice."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dong Sicheng makes appearance!

"Injun! Do you want to finally take commission?"

Renjun was sitting on his working desk, creating his third sculpture. It had been two months since Chenle's commission. He still worked at his sister's gallery ("It's our gallery now, Injun. The angels are with you too," His sister stated), still was a coward, still saw Jeno sometimes but their interactions were merely nods and some hand wavings. Well, it was good enough for Renjun, remembering how cold Jeno was to him and how his sister could never do the same with Yuta (well, maybe someday, but not at the moment).

He looked up from his sculpture to his sister's hyped expression.

"Nuna, you do know I do commissions, even though the payment would never be as good as Chenle's," He replied with a chuckle.

"No, not drawings," His sister grinned. "It's sculpture."

"What? I can't do that, Nuna. I can't measure real people's heads just yet..."

His sister ruffled his hair. "What are you saying? Of course you can! I'll be with you. So, do you want to take this commission?"

Renjun still looked doubtful. However, his sister smiled. "You won't do it badly. I promise I'll take care of it if you indeed screw everything up."

"Okay, you promised." Renjun let out a loud sigh. After all, his sister was his sister... the same stubborn older sister he had got ever since he was born.

His sister was excitedly bouncing towards her phone. She quickly tapped and put her phone beside her left ear. "Oh, good day, Mister Leechaiyapornkul! It is me, Huang. I will take your commission. However, it is not me who will make it. My brother will do it. It is his first commission, so please don't be too mean at him..."

Renjun gulped. Who's Mister Leechaiyapornkul? His name sounds so strange... Well at least Nuna doesn't give me big commission like Lucas or Kun... I won't be able to handle it.

"Mister Leechaiyapornkul will come this evening! I don't know when, but just stay here for a day. I won't ask you for any grocery-shopping or anything. While we're waiting for him, how about I teach you how to measure real person's head?"

Renjun agreed, but, "Whose head?"

"Oh, don't worry." His sister went to the gallery. Renjun followed her. His sister approached a person who was looking intently at Kun's sculpture and happily patted his shoulder. "Sicheng ge!"

Renjun had heard of Sicheng from his sister. He was from the same college as his sister's, with different major. He was majoring in Acting. And he was in the same art club with his sister, so Renjun sometimes found him in his sister's old photos. However, looking at the real Dong Sicheng pretty amazed him. He was... cute. His visual was indeed breathtaking but there was something about him that made Renjun want to pinch his cheeks right there.

"Huang!" Renjun didn't know why some people simply call his sister by her (or their) surname instead of her name. "You surprised me. I indeed told you I would come to your gallery today but please just tell me when you're gonna approach me."

His sister laughed. "Never! Anyway, this is my younger brother, Renjun. I've told you several times. He's currently undergoing some training from me to become a sculptor."

Sicheng held out his hand to Renjun, and Renjun hesitantly shook that hand. "Woah, young man! You indeed look like your sister. How does it feel like, having a sister like her? I pity you."

"Hey!" His sister punched Sicheng's back lightly. "He's not that miserable. Anyway, since you're here, I need your help in something."

"If you want some clout by taking a video of me dancing, the answer is no." From the look of his face, Renjun was sure his sister had used Sicheng for her entertainment purpose since their college days.

"Gege, no! We Scorpio squad should never pick on each other. I just need your head."

Sicheng smirked. "Ah, finally you agree that I am indeed smarter than you..."

His sister didn't comply nor reject the statement because she had pulled Sicheng's hand toward the workplace. Again, Renjun followed them. Seeing his sister's casual relationship with Sicheng actually made him confused, but that was just his sister. She was closer to boys instead of girls... because she indeed looked like a boy. She cut her hair extremely short when she started college and people who met them thought they were pretty much twins.

"What do you want me to do now?" Sicheng protested when Renjun's sister made him sit on a chair. "Seriously, Huang, even after we graduate, you still manage to bully me."

"Come on, my Scorpio squad! I never bully you."

"The fact that our birthdays are only three days apart makes me more miserable," Sicheng sighed. "But I am still older than you!"

Ignoring Sicheng, his sister commanded, "Injun, take that tape measure on my table. I'll show you how."

Renjun took the tape measure. When he walked back to his sister and Sicheng, the older man looked at his sister with disbelief.

"What? I've fulfilled my promise to not make any sculptures of you when we were in college. We are graduated, so it is fine now, right, Sicheng-ge?"

Renjun wasn't as innocent as he looked, and he knew where he got that trait from. His sister might look quiet and pretty reserved from the outside, but living with his sister all his life had taught him that both of them are devil's spawns. Renjun let out a laugh while looking at his sister's banter with Sicheng.

"Now your brother is laughing too! I'm sure Huang siblings are evil!"

His sister laughed maniacally.

■

Dong Sicheng let out a relieved sigh. Well, it was just measurement. He didn't know whether that Huang girl will really made a sculpture of him (which he refused) or not, or maybe her little spawn of devil (aka her brother) will do it in her stead. Getting measured wasn't that bad actually, because they only measured his head.

"What will you do with that?" Sicheng asked.

Renjun's sister grinned. "I don't know! Well, I'm just giving training to my brother, but I might make a sculpture of you eventually."

Sicheng actually shivered at the thought of seeing his reflection in form of stone. Permanently carved. He was so lost in thought he didn't realize the younger Huang stood beside him.

"Gege, if you are afraid of being made into a sculpture, honestly I can relate," Renjun said.

Sicheng turned his head to face the little boy. "You're her little brother and she's never made an attempt to measure your head? That's amazing... I should have asked you the tips."

Renjun laughed. "Don't worry about your sculpture. I'll make sure Nuna won't make it without your consent. I'm amazed too by how you keep up at being friends with her for years. And for why she never tries to make my sculpture... is because I don't want to."

"Just that? What? Damn that girl... But I'll watch you, kid. If I happen to come here again and find a face of mine among all those sculptures..." Sicheng pointed at a bunch of sculptures on the shelf in the workplace. "Ha... wait. Isn't that Nakamoto Yuta?"

Oops. Renjun immediately turned to look at his sister. She was careless because she'd never let anyone come to the workplace except Renjun and herself... and now that Sicheng saw it...

"Aha." Sicheng smirked. "I've found your weakness, Huang. Oh my God. At first I thought he was just your random practice material, but there are more than three sculptures of him, so..."

"How do you know him, Gege!" Renjun's sister stormed to Sicheng who laughed.

"He was an upperclassman in our college, silly! But he graduated when you became a freshman. Hahaha! He is my close friend. I don't know that your weakness is this obvious..." Sicheng couldn't stop laughing at Renjun's sister who looked like a roasted crab. "It's so funny. He was so flirty. Can you believe he flirted with me? Hey, hey, don't be so violent! He was joking, of course! I won't take him away from you!"

Renjun's sister stopped punching Sicheng and pouted. Sicheng caressed his poor left arm with winced eyes.

"Do you still keep in touch with him?" She asked.

"Why? You want to send message to him?" Sicheng was still laughing. And Renjun's sister kept punching him. "Stop it! We occassionally meet for coffee, but irregularly. If you are so against me telling him, then I won't!"

"Really?"

"Only if you promise you won't make any sculpture of me. I actually want you to burn that paper with the measurement of my lovely head but since your brother needs it..."

She glared at Sicheng who couldn't help but giggling. Then, her eyes met Renjun's, who nodded.

She sighed. "Okay, I promise."

Sicheng hummed happily while walking towards her secret creations in the workplace. She got two shelves just for her sculptures and the third shelf was for Renjun's (but there were only several sculptures including Yuta). Out of all sculptures in that room, Sicheng could only recognize Yuta's and how many she had made actually surprised him. Well, she wasn't open about her love interest back then in college so he couldn't figure anything out about her. She never even sketched some love interests (Sicheng once rummaged into her sketchbooks to find some blackmail material but found nothing).

"Stop staring at the shelf, you piss me off," Renjun's sister snapped.

"Hey Scorpio squad, we should never pick on each other, right?" Sicheng winked. "I always see the sculptures in the gallery but seeing hidden treasure like these is something else."

Renjun shook his head, because his sister still looked ashamed (not an everyday scene, tho, so Renjun kinda enjoyed it). He was pretty quiet the entire time. He watched his sister carefully. As Sicheng's gaze was turned back to the shelf, his sister quietly approached him, and sneakily put Sicheng in a chokehold. Sicheng was tall, but the older of the devil's spawn had her ways.

"Huang!" Sicheng tried to free himself, but in vain. Renjun had known his sister's chokehold. Somehow, he inherited the power of chokehold too. So, he tried to hold his laugh while looking at his sister and Sicheng.

"I could never be mad at you, Gege! You're so cute I want to protect you with all my life!"

"But no one protects people by choking them!"

Renjun's sister finally let go of her friend. Sicheng's face looked so red and it was her turn to laugh at him. They didn't pay attention to the time until Renjun's sister's phone was ringing.

She quickly grabbed her phone.

"Mister Leechaiyapornkul! Oh I mean, Ten Oppa! What? You're already here? But you said... Okay, I'm coming."

Renjun saw his sister walked through the door and corridor that separated the workplace and the gallery. This time, he didn't follow her. Instead, he looked at Sicheng whose hair was ruffled yet still look as cute as ever.

"She is always so serious when it comes to work," Sicheng commented. "So, are you from our college too?"

"No, I'm from different college. Actually I lived far from here. I just moved here when Nuna asked me to be a sculptor."

Sicheng grinned. "I hope you're not like your wild sister. Anyway, I really want to stay but duty calls. See you when I see you, Renjun!"

Sicheng waved his hand and made his way to the gallery. However, he came back a minute later.

"Renjun, your sister wants you to be there. And oh, bring the tape measure."

Renjun had never seen her sister meeting her clients for commissions before. So he took the tape measure and walked to the gallery. Sicheng quickly said his goodbye and left. His sister was standing with a man in red suite. He looked stern.

"Injun!" His sister called. "Come here. This is Mister Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul. Well, just call him Ten hyung. He's gonna be your first client."

Suddenly, this Ten guy didn't look stern anymore. He smiled and shook Renjun's hand. "You're your sister's brother, so I'm sure you have great art skill, too. I'm looking forward for the result!"

Renjun shuddered.


End file.
